Game Thread: Pirates at Reds (2013.06.17)

Well hello there Pittsburgh. You’re so cute! You hang around in the standings, giving your fans hope. But we all know who you really are. Time to trend that record back to under .500 like we know you will by October. What better time to start that downward trend than tonight in Cincinnati!

The Reds now begin a stretch of 16 consecutive games against winning teams. Eight of those are at home and eight are on the road. This will be a true test of where this team stands as we head into July and the All-Star Break. Mike Leake gets the stretch started tonight by taking the mound for the Reds.

I’ll be at the Cards-Cubs game tomorrow night, for the occasion I bought a new Reds hat and a new Reds tee-shirt from the Reds Shop via online. To annoy Cards fans even more I bought a bag of peanuts today with a big Cubs logo on the front (I am NOT a Cubs fan) Its my duty to represent the Reds. Wainrights pitching. Go Reds!

It’s funny, watching the end of game high fives, Dusty gives everyone a pat or a slap but he ALWAYS gives Chapman a hug. He really does rely on his closer as a his security blanket on a very personal level.

Leake was impressive tonight, and the Reds hitters are heating up along with summertime temps. Cingrani and Chapman were a one two knockout combo tonight. Lets get em again tomorrow. Go Reds! Adios Amigos.

I might be making a huge deal out of very little, but I say circle this game as a potential turning point in the season. The bullpen has been so bad in the last six weeks, it’s made our 42-28 sometimes feel like a losing record. Cingrani to the pen could swing things dramatically if this goes half as well as I think it might!

@caps: Cingrani in the pen might help us, but I can’t get excited about it. It just reminds me too much of Chapman moving to the pen in 2010. I don’t think we’re dumb enough to scrap Cingranis starting g career, but I thought the exact same thing about Chapman in 2010.

I happen to love Cingrani and his potential. I get the tradeoff. I just don’t think the benefit is worth the cost. That’s all. I get the other side too. It’s a question of how one discounts the future of the club versus the present.

In terms of the “damage” done, I’m not really worried about that as much as I am the idea the organization might see him as a reliever and keep him there next year. He can always throw a bit in the instructional leagues to work on the secondary pitches. If you guaranteed me that they’d put him in the rotation in 2014, I would mind this decision much less.

@Hank Aarons Teammate: Chapman is the closer. I rather see him start but that train has left the station. I can’t be paranoid that every decision regarding the bullpen personnel is going to be based on the same line of thinking. To me, it’s tunnel vision.

You ask me who do I want to be the late inning lefty: Tony or Manny? It’s Cingrani, everyday of the week. When and if Marshall returns, things could change but that is my view of the situation. Not some hypothetical where Cingrani becomes a LOOGY for life.

@CharlotteNCRedsFan: Fine, but you have to admit, this isn’t a situation where it’s just a guy stuck in the bullpen. This is a guy who is quite similar to Chapman in profile: great fastball, not great command of secondary pitches.

You’re saying “paranoid” but that’s more like conspiracy theories. You have to also admit Cingrani has an ideal bullpen profile. It’s not like I’m pulling the idea out of left field.

Points:
1) There is only room for one closer on this team and we have one.
2) Cingrani strikes me as a guy with the make-up to overcome whatever damage may be done by having him be a reliever for half a season. Lot of these guys are fighting the last war still. Can’t say I blame them but I think their concern is misplaced.

@CharlotteNCRedsFan: Amen! PLUS I don’t really see why having Chapman as the closer instead of a starter was ever such a bad idea in the first place. Not to open that can of worms again, but we have starting pitching for days with more stud prospects in the pipeline!! This bullpen without Chappy is a scary thought.. It’ll all fall into place!

@caps: Who is in the pipeline? Stephenson is the one guy I have my eye on, but is there really anyone else of note? I’m not a fan of Corcino at all. The Reds have almost no SP depth at this point anyways. If Arroyo leaves next year, they have nothing after the starting 5.

Also, I don’t think it can be discounted how important shutdown starting pitchers are in the postseason. Could Chapman be one, I don’t know, but we’ll never know, and that is disappointing to me.